What can I do to prepare myself and my family for a major emergency?

There are a number of things that you can do to prepare for an emergency. Remember that as well as an incident that affects the wider community, residents could have household emergencies such as burst pipes or loss of power.

Protect your property and belongings

Store items of value and important documents such as birth certificates and passports in waterproof or sealed plastic bags upstairs or high up in case of flood

Find out where and how to turn off water, gas and electricity supplies in your own home (mark taps and switches to help you remember)

Check that you are insured. Find out exactly what your insurance company will cover, for example temporary accommodation, and if they will arrange clean-up and repair work